I Won't Let Go
by Sousamaphone
Summary: "Naked. Stripped to the bone. Everything he knew gone froever. Left to die on this horrible planet. Alone." Loki is banished to Midgard without his powers and must learn to lead a normal, human life. Eventual Captain/Loki romance! R/R please 3
1. Teaser

Hey guys! Getting up another new fic! This one will last quite a bit, I hope and, like always, love and reviews help fuel my desire to write more! I won't give away many spoilers but it will turn into a Captain/Loki fic at some point. But a sweet one so shut up . Anyway, this is just a prologue. More to come! Chapter one soon!

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Naked. Stripped to the bone. Everything he knew gone. Just like that. His world-taken. Gone forever. Left to die on this horrible planet. Alone.

He had been a powerful God with abilities far beyond that of anyone who knew him. His name was feared and revered throughout the worlds. And yet, here he was. Left alone and powerless on the pitiful realm that was Midgard. How had he possible allowed this to happen to him? All he'd ever wanted was to be the equal of his adoptive brother. He wanted, just that once, to be looked at with admiration by the other man. Accepted. Loved.

But when that didn't happen he settled for the next best thing. Power. He'd gone to great lengths to discover an army prepped for a leader and a driving force. He was going to get back at his brother for his slights by taking the world he loved as recompense. But he hadn't expected Earth's Mightiest Heroes to actually be able to stop him. But they did. And he was brought back to Asgard to face punishment. And the Allfather was not very forgiving in his sentence.

Loki had been stripped of his magic forever. And sent to live out his life on Earth.


	2. Prologue

_Hey guys! I know I have a few readers for this story and I wanted to apologize for not having written anything except the incredibly teasing prologue XD_

I have decided that I want to write this fic as my Camp NaNoWriMo story. This is both a plus and a negative for you guys! It means I won't be updating the story at all during the month of June. however it means that i will have a TON written out and I'll throw out a lot of chapters after I go through and edit it all.

_With that being said, i would like to THANK every one who has read my prologue and given their support. You really have no idea how much it means to me to know that someone out there actually enjoys my writing._

With that said, I have written out a little bit more that I will post now. It's also sort of a teaser but I promise future chapters will be full and juicy!

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The last few months had brought nothing but quiet in the bustling world of Earth. The 'Avengers' had gone their separate ways after the events commonly known to the world through news broadcasts.

Thor, the mighty God of Thunder returned to his home world, taking the war criminal Loki with him. The muscular fighter had looked on with sadness as judgment was passed on the brother he still mourned for.

Natasha Rominoff was unable to return to her previous assignment now that her cover was blown to the Russians. But there was little fear for the Black Widow who was able to sneak off to complete a mission in Slovenia regarding an assassin.

Tony Stark, the man of Iron had spent the time holed up in his office, fixing the broken and battered suits that were his life's work. Countless hours had gone toward repairs and renovations that would make the suit better than it ever had been. The tower itself had been fixed up over time and was once again a beacon of success in New York City.

Clinton Barton was gone within hours of the Gods' departure. Although he didn't tell anyone where he was headed, vague rumours about an island off the coast of Australia had been floating around the SHIELD headquarters days before.

Bruce Banner had decided quickly that he was to return to Cambodia to continue his attempts at helping the sick. He spent the months continuing to work on control and meditation while doing what he loved-helping.

Steve Rogers returned to the apartment in Brooklyn he'd been given by SHIELD to live in. He spent his days working out and his nights figuring out life and the changes the world had gone through. He became obsessed with reading history books and watching current day films.

Loki had been left in a prison cell while the Asgardian Council collaborated on proper punishment. Weeks turned into months before a decision was made. Loki was stripped of his magic and power before his permanent banishment to Midgard. Neither Thor nor any other Asgardians were to have any contact with him.


	3. Thor's Story

_Ok...so I basically just couldn't wait to get this chapter out, mostly because I'm just so proud of it XDDD Anyway, This is Thor's story!_

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_Thor, the mighty God of Thunder returned to his home world, taking the war criminal Loki with him. The muscular fighter had looked on with sadness as judgment was passed on the brother he still mourned for._

The flash of light was one both Asgardians were used to by now. They had traveled by way of magic more than enough times to be unaffected by its brightness. But when the light faded, they found themselves in an even more memorable place. Thor immediately fell to one knee, dipping his head in the direction of the gold throne. His eyes darted sideways to where his brother still stood. With a sigh, he knew already this was not going to go easily.

"Father. I have returned with Loki. We seek your wisdom and guidance and the Realm of Midgard ask that his punishment be severe enough that he never tries an act such as this again." The God of Thunder fell silent and he could feel the eyes of everyone in the great hall focused on him and the man beside him. Part of him wanted desperately for Loki to speak up and say something-anything that would help him in his future court. But another new that would be impossible for the Trickster and that it would be far better if he kept his mouth shut.

The quiet in the room caused tension so thick Thor had a hard time staying knelt. But eventually, after what seemed like hours of standing in the silence, a strong and commanding voice spoke. "Asgard is in debt to the Midgardian warriors who succeeded in the defeat and capture of Loki. But the council has not yet made a decision on the punishment for his actions. Until one can be agreed upon, Loki is to be held in a cell below the palace." He fell silent for a few seconds which gave Thor enough time to stand. Odin and Loki had locked eyes, sharing a silent conversation.

"Thor. You fought alongside the Midgardian warriors and know the details of the battle. You will sit in with the council and retell your story." The tone in the old man's voice was heavy and sorrowful. He didn't want to be doing this anymore then Thor. But with a wave of his hand, two guards stepped forward and took hold of each of Loki's arms, dragging the gagged and hand-cuffed God away.

Thor watched in silence as the small crowd of council members began to disperse. Once they were alone, he turned to Odin, his voice strained. "Father. What will become of Brother? Surely we will not be killed for his crimes against the Mortals." Thor had never felt out of place in the Asgard's great hall until now. It was so large and he felt so small. The fate of his beloved brother rested in the hands of others. All he could do now was tell the story of what happened on Midgard.

"No decision has been made, Thor. As much as I fight against his execution, he murdered hundreds of Mortals in his attempt to rise to power. Allowing him to live does not seem to be in the interest of the court." With that, Odin turned and swept out of the room, leaving his mortified and torn son alone in the Throne Room.

Days had passed and Thor had yet to be summoned to the Council to relate his story. The Thunder God spent most of his time pacing one of the many smaller dining halls, surrounded by his friends. "Thor, please stop that moving around. Much more of that and you'll make us all sick." Fandral was draped across one of the couches in a simple pair of leather pants and an open-cut matching vest. A lavish cloak was attached at the shoulders and spread out benieth him.

Volstagg grunted from below a thick wing of meat. "Let the man do as he wishes. Everyone has their own way of dealing with things." His beard was spotted with chunks of other foods that now lay mostly gone on a platter before him. He was hunched over the small table and silver plate on a couch opposite the thinner warrior.

"And yours, of course, Volstagg, is eating everything in sight." The female voice chimed in, almost at the defense of the blonde warrior. But not quite. Lady Sif -the only one of the five in the room in full warrior attire- stepped up to her friend. We all understand that you are eager to learn the verdict. But stressing yourself out until then will not help your brother."

The only one left who had not spoken made no motion to. He found himself leaning against one of the columns in the room, watching the sequins unfold. Hogun rarely spoke and this scene seemed to be no exception.

Thor had continued pacing during his friend's minor conversation. It wasn't until the female warrior had made her way to him that he stopped. The red cape swished behind him as he halted abruptly. His face was hard and his eyes cold as he looked at her. Anyone might have guessed that he was about to yell at her. But he didn't. His face fell and it was suddenly evident that the God had not slept in days, perhaps even since he'd originally come back to Asgard. "I worry for my brother. I fear he will come out of this changed and I will be unable to do anything about it."

"Your father is strict but he is not unreasonable. Loki will get the punishment that is just and fair." Fandral had spoken up, his voice soft but matter-of-factly. He'd turned his neck to watch the pair but hadn't bothered to get up.

Sif turned to shoot him an icy glare although she knew it was useless. If there was one thing Fandral did not know it was how to take a hint, even a painfully obvious one.

But the situation was saved moments later when a door slammed open and a guard rushed into the hall. He dipped his head to the Thunder God before speaking loudly and clearly. "Odin the Allfather demands your presence in the High Council of the Nine Realms." He turned and scurried out of the room, leaving Sif standing with something of a smile as she watched Thor.

"Go. The Council awaits your story, Thor." She took a few steps back as if to signal that he should part from them. With a quick nod of his head he inhaled deeply and set off after the guard, leaving behind his friends.

Thor knew his way to the council room without the need of the guard's help. But he got it anyway. He spent the short walk thinking through everything he knew about the battle. Every detail he'd discovered about what had happened before he'd shown up to help. Every in between moment he could get anything on. He needed to know everything and would do what he could to make the story sound as good as possible for Loki. He wasn't going to just let his brother be harmed without even attempting to plea for him.

Thor was shown into the room and everyone but his father stood immediately as he did. He dipped his head and the room sat once more.

Thor made his way to the head of the table, not daring to speak a word yet. After a few seconds, Odin broke the silence. "Thor, my son. You fought alongside the Midgard Warriors against your brother. You know better than anyone here what he has done. Please tell the council what you remember about the battle and Loki's part in it."

Thor launched into his story immediately, starting with the knowledge he'd received about where Loki had been after falling away from the bridge. His story was long and took him through finding the Chitari and gaining the scepter to making his way through the Tesseract's energy and down to Midgard. He explained how Loki had taken control of multiple agents in an attempt to find help as well as his capture and infiltration of the SHIELD helicraft (after explaining, of course, what exactly an airplane was).

He 'conveniently' left out a few minor details that made him seem slightly better in the light of the council. Although he knew he was leaving them out as did Odin, the rest of the council was unaware of his partial truth. The story finished with The Hulk's mighty take down and Loki's eventual defeat. "My brother has been left alone with nothing to do but look back on his actions. Although I realize this is not an entire punishment, I point out that it is eating at him. Loki wanted nothing but acceptance from his friends and family. We did not give him that." He paused and glanced sideways to his father. "If anyone should be punished, it should be those who pushed him over that edge."

"Thank you, Thor Odinson." The voice that spoke came from an odd looking bi-pedal creature at the table. Thor dipped his head to the leader of one of the other Nine Realms and silently left the Council Halls.

"See? Was that really so bad? I'm sure the council loved your story and plan to set Loki free any day now." Thor shot the blade-master a glare.

"I do not appreciate your tone, Fandral. You know as well as anyone it will not be that easy. Loki has committed terrible acts and the Council will not let him down so easily."

"He was only trying to cheer you up, Thor. Your part in Loki's fate is done with and there is nothing you need to worry about. You should return to your chambers and sleep." There was nothing but worry in her strong voice. She obviously cared for her friend's health and sanity.

"I do not wish for sleep. I wish only that my brother be safe." He pushed her back, a tad harder then he'd meant to. Sif sighed and looked to the floor before stepping back. Fandral stood and the pair left in silence, leaving the God alone again to think.

Thor's mind was racing as the minutes ticked on. There was nothing saying how much longer the council would take. It could be only a few more hours or days and weeks could pass before the announcement was made before the Asgardians. Every inch of his body ached from the battle before but with his lack of sleep, he'd hardly had time to heal.

But he couldn't focus on his own problems and pains now. They were nothing compared to what his brother might have to face in the near or distant future. Thor would heal. Loki may not.

Loki had not been denied visitors in his cell, though no one had dared to go down and speak with the traitor. Thor himself had only been down there once. Loki had been asleep and Thor decided it best not to wake him. Now, unable to figure out anything else that would occupy his mind, the Thunder God made his way down the seemingly endless staircase to the cell that held his brother. It was guarded by no less than a dozen men who Thor easily passed. No one would deny the Prince the access he wanted. And they knew better then to listen in on any following conversation. They all took a few steps forward out of and proof and respect. Thor slipped into the cell and instantly searched for his brother. It wasn't difficult to find the man, still clad in the green leather and metal outfit he'd been wearing on Midgard. He was denied his helmet and obviously the spear was under careful eye. He was still bound at the wrists but the gag had been removed.

"Brother!" Thor walked up to the edge of the cage. Unlike the one Loki had been held in at SHIELD, this one was bared and allowed for either man to stuck a hand through to the other side. Unfortunately for the Trickster, this particular space was void of all magic. Despite his intense power, even without the scepter, Loki was unable to do anything, even the most basic of spells. It irked him and by now the ware on his holding was beginning to become noticeable in his pale face.

Loki sneered at the blond man who entered. "Have you been well, dear Thor? Eating lavish feasts and sleeping on the softest bed in the realms while I am stuck hear eating the scraps left behind by the dogs." His voice was bitter and full of obvious venom. Regardless, Thor hardly seemed to notice.

"I have not slept well, Brother for your fate troubles me so."

Loki perked at that ever so slightly. "Has my fate been decided then? It seems about right that they would tell the Realms before I was let in on the little plan." He'd been standing in the center of the cage, looking over at the man who had entered moments before. Now, he moved back into the shadows, finding a spot slightly less uncomfortable for him to lean against as he slid to the floor.

"No, Brother. They have yet to decide what shall befall you for your actions. I spoke with the council this morning, telling them everything I knew about what happened on Midgard."

"Oh, you told them everything. I'm sure you did, _Brother_." Loki sneered the title, almost spitting it as his nose crinkled in disgust. "You care about my fate only because you wish to know how long until you can laugh at me. I know what they have decided. Death is the only option they have. It just takes the old fools too long to realize it."

"They will not kill you, Loki. I swear to you I will not let that happe-"

"And what could you possibly do to stop them?" The Trickster cut off his adopted brother suddenly leaning forward and putting pressure on his knees as he half-stood. "Nothing. You have no power in council and you know it. I am dead to Odin, I'm dead to Laufey, I'm dead to you. There is nothing left that they can take away from me but the very air I breath!"

Thor took a step back, shocked by the rage in the darker-haired man's voice. But even more than that, he could have sworn he noticed a trace of sorrow. Of guilt.

His eyes drooped as he looked to the ground. "It is a shame, Brother that you think so little of the worlds and the people that care about you. You are not dead yet and I will not stop fighting for you until you are so." With that, Thor turned and swept out of the cage room, his red cape flowing behind him in the created wind.

The following afternoon found a better rested Thor sitting on the steps of the Throne Room. It seemed his talk with Loki the day before had caused some form of peace to begin to stir within him. He did not look as tired and had clearly had a chance to begin to heal now. He was alone for now but knew he wouldn't be for long. Rumour had spread that the council had reached its decision. The announcement was to be made today.

At the sound of footsteps, the God stood and turned toward the main entrance. He was dressed in his full Warrior Prince armour, complete with Mjolnir in his large hands. Today was the day that everything boiled down to.

The main doors opened and in filed Lady Sif and the Warriors Three. Behind them were a few other people Thor recognized but didn't really bother to figure out. He walked up to is friends and was quickly grasped around the shoulders by Fandral. "Everything for the best, Thor. It will be all right."

The group took their spots along the side of the Throne, standing up the steps the same as they had the day Thor was to be named King of Asgard. The only difference was that Thor now stood where Loki once had. Some deep part of him wished desperately that this could have all been deferent. That this could have been Loki's crowning ceremony those few years ago.

After a few minutes of silence and awkward side-ways glances, the doors opened again. Lady Frigga and Odin entered, followed brusquely by the rest of the Council of the Nine Realms. Odin dipped his head to his son before taking his spot on the Throne. The council fanned out behind him while Frigga stood beside the Prince.

A small crowd had begun to form in the back of the hall now. As the seconds passed, however, more people began to flood in until the entire hall was packed with people. Thor couldn't help but notice how there seemed to be more people now then at his coronation. But that was currently unimportant.

Odin stood, spreading his hands out to the room. Instantly, the crowd fell silent and Odin spoke up. "Asgardians. You have gathered in this hall to hear the fate that is to befall Prince Loki, my son for his treachery upon the Realm of Midgard. After much deliberation, the Council of the Nine Realms has reached its verdict." He turned to motion toward one of the sides of the hall.

To the right and back from the Throne, a small door opened up. A guard exited, pushing Loki before him. The Prince was still bound at the wrists but now the ankles as well. Additionally, the gag had been replaced over his mouth. Words were magic and up here where there was no protection, no one could risk the chance that Loki would attempt to pull some stunt.

The guard pushed against the dark-haired Asgardian, forcing him into the center of the room, centering him to the massive Throne. He looked even worse than when Thor had visited him the day before. His black hair was a mess, his clothing was ripped even more. The cuts and bruises on his face had yet to heal either. Clearly, Loki had not been seeing a grandiose time in his cell.

Thor had to stop himself from reaching out for his brother. A brief thought crossed his mind to rush forward and free him but that would never work out in the end. It would only ruin his own plans for the future.

At the site of his adopted son, Odin released a small breath of air. Pity and pang showed on his aging face as he gazed down at the child he had raised as his own. There was nothing but sorrow written on his features as his mind filled with thoughts of what he was about to announce.

"Loki, Odinson-" Loki himself reeled back at his title while a few murmurs shifted through the crowd of onlookers. Odin's speech never faltered. "-of Asgard. You have brought deepest shame to those who have cared for you and loved you throughout your life. You _are_ my son and you will never know how much pain this decision has brought to us.

"The time it will take to rebuild the damage you have caused with Midgard is tremendous and we may never return to the same truce we once had with any of the other Realms because of what you have done. Your actions have caused a war that will not end in the coming years, I fear." He paused for a brief second. "But you must know that your mother and I, your brother too, we will never stop loving you, my son."

Loki's stone cold face hadn't moved since the beginning of the speech and it didn't now. Odin was lying-he had to be. And even if the King spoke the truth, Loki would never allow himself to believe it, for if he did, his entire world would unravel-again. Luckily for him, he was gaged and had no possible way to respond to what the Allfather had said.

One of the council members stepped forward-and instant recognition and hatred ripped through the face of the God below. The man was dressed in a tight blue suit with a single large white star emblazoned on his chest. The short blonde hair was combed into a flip that made him seem even more out of place. Loki's nose crinkled back in disgust at the site of the man and he visibly took a step back. But he could say nothing.

"Loki," his voice rang out clearly, despite his lack of magical assistance. It was thick and strong but not a tone one would expect from a man who'd had his planet nearly destroyed. "The Council of the Nine Realms has made a decision regarding you and the Tesseract." He looked up to the large crowd. "The Tesseract itself will be kept here, under the close watch of the Allfather. It's power will be used to rebuild the Bifrost and keep the city of Asgard running." There were murmurs of acceptance that ran through the crowd.

His attention turned again to the Prince kneeling before him. "And, for his war-crimes against Midgard, Realm of the Humans, Loki" he paused ever so briefly as his crystal blue eyes met with the emerald green ones. "Loki is to be stripped of his powers and set to live out the remainder of his Mortal life on Midgard, among the people he'd tried to murder and rule."

Loki's eyes widened for a brief second while Thor turned questioningly to face the man standing beside his father. But Thor knew he would not be able to speak out, not in an official ceremony. The blonde man continued. "Your sentence is not changeable. You will never return to Asgard."

For once, there was no sound in the hall. There was only quiet. Except for one man's very labored breathing.

The announcement found Thor entirely over-joyed. His brother was not going to die. His punishment was little more than being left on Midgard where he could very easily be-

Thor's thoughts were cut short as Odin once again took the reins of the ceremony. The man in blue stepped back. "While travel to the Realm of Midgard will not be forbidden to any Asgardian, contact with the exhaled Prince will be reason for a trial of your own. No one is to have any contact with Loki for the remainder of his Mortal life." His attention turned now to the God kneeling below the throne. His voice was heavy as he spoke nearly the same words he had when he was stripping Thor of his powers. "I take from you your power-" The gag flew from Loki's mouth to the outstretched hand of Odin. "I take from your status-" Now that he was within reach of the now-Mortal, he ripped the green cloak from his armour. "And I send you to Midgard where you will live a Mortal life until you perish naturally." Loki, who had stood the moment the gag had left his mouth, was forced back to his knees by a powerful force he could no longer combat.

There was a large flash of light and almost instantly, the dark-haired man was gone.

Thor was left standing on the steps, his chest heaving as he watched the scene in front of him. He couldn't figure out why he was so out of breath before he realized that he'd been holding it through the ceremony in an attempt to keep from crying out. But now that it was over and the people had started to disperse, he strode forward to where his father stood.

"Father! How could you forbid us to see him? Do you realize what this will do to the Realm?"

Odin turned to face his son, eyes cold. "Would you rather he be dead?"

"Of course not!" Thor nearly yelled. "But with him so close but unable to be spoken too-he's as good as dead!"

"But he's not! The Council spoke long and hard about this decision, Thor and you will not be able to change it. What is done, is done. His powers can never be restored no matter what he or you or anyone else attempts. His travel to Midgard was a one way passage. He can never return to Asgard." With that, the King turned and walked through the Throne Room as Lady Frigga briskly jogged to his side, wrapping her arm around his as she wept silently.

"He is not dead Thor. He is gone, but he lives as a Mortal now. If anything, this will be best for him. He will repent and he will grow. This will make him a better person." Fandral's voice was soft as he stood beside his friend, his hand lightly on the God's shoulder.

Thor's response was quiet and delayed as he focused on a spot in the ground. "I know Fandral. But none of that will help if he is foolish enough to attempt something stupid. He may have lost his magic, but Loki knows his way around a word. There is still much damage that can be done in his state."

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Also, please remember that I haven't taken the time to go back and edit it because this is NaNo and we aren't aloud to edit XD Soooo I apologize if it's a bit choppy or there are any issues but that will be taken care of and fixed after this month!

Thank you so much for reading!  
~Your Sousa


	4. Natasha's Story Incomplete

Most people lose their muse at some point after they hit 10k words. I am not even 6k in before I find I cannot write. And it is all Natasha's fault. I have no idea what it is about her that is screwing me up but I am finding this to literally be the most difficult chapter I have ever attempted to write. With that being said, I would like to apologize to those of you reading this on FanFiction. I promise that once June is over and NaNoWriMo has ended, I will go in and flush out this chapter. It will be completed at some point but I simply /cannot/ waste any more time on a chapter and character that refuse to cooperate.

With that being said, I thank you all again for your continued support and here is what i did manage to get written of chapter two!

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_Natasha Romanoff was unable to return to her previous assignment now that her cover was blown to the Russians. But there was little fear for the Black Widow who was able to sneak off to complete a mission in Slovenia regarding an assassin._

Uhg! She needed to just get back to work. The sooner she was able to be on a mission, the easier it would be to forget everything. She had practically begged for SHIELD to send her somewhere-anywhere. They had insisted that she take a week or two off to get her head in order but she had denied that vacation time without hesitation. After much persistence, they had finally given her the specs on an assassin issue in Yugoslavia. Natasha was gone the next morning.

It was rare that she came across a country she hadn't visited before but when it happened, she was overjoyed to explore new territory. This just happened to be one of those new places and she spent the first day getting to know the area around the small European country. It was quaint and the villages themselves were small. Everyone seemed to know everyone which would make her job of fitting in a little more difficult. But if an assassin could weed their way into this crowd, she could do it even better.

She had modified her own dress to look a bit more like the natives but in recent cultural history, it wasn't that far off from what American's typically wore. She died her hair to a dark brown and toned down her daily makeup. She wore a long skirt and long-sleeved shirt made from simple cotton and of course sandals that were typical in the area. To anyone, even a native, she couldn't have been born anywhere else.

Natasha was easily able to charm her way into a small hotel for at least a week or two. That would buy her a way into the hearts and minds of the people in the area. She was currently staying in Domžale, a small city of about thirty-two thousand people not far from the country's capitol. It would prove as the perfect place to get an inside scoop. She would be able to travel back and forth to Ljublijana in a little time without having to reside there and risk her cover.

She would start in the morning.

The early morning found Natasha waking up to a smiling sun streaming through her window. It wasn't that she'd forgotten to shut the blinds. She rather enjoyed these sorts of mornings and she knew she had a long day ahead of her. The earlier she rose, the quicker things could get on the move.

She dressed simply in a ripped pair of jeans and old looking tennis shoes. Her blouse was a dark blue that fit her nicely but wouldn't stand out in a crowd. Her newly-brown hair was curled lightly to bounce around her soft features. She locked up her hotel room, pocketing the key before heading down the few flights of stairs. The hotel wasn't fancy enough to have a continental breakfast which was fine. She would pick something up near the bus stop.

TO BE FINISHED AFTER JUNE


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